Archives of the Soviet communist party and Soviet state microfilm collection: State Archives of the Russian Federation (Gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv Rossiĭskoĭ Federat͡sii - GARF), 1903-1991

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Summary

Creators:
Kommunisticheskai͡a partii͡a Sovetskogo Soi͡uza.
Abstract:
Relates to political conditions in the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. Filmed from finding aids and holdings dating from 1903 to 1991 of the Gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv Rossiĭskoĭ Federat͡sii.
Extent:
8034 microfilm reels
Language:
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], original located in GARF, [Fond number, Opis number, Delo number], Archives of the Soviet communist party and Soviet state microfilm collection, [Reel number], Hoover Institution Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection concerns political conditions in the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. The documents come from three Russian archives. Material was selected for microfilming based on two criteria: (1) records of the highest policy-making units of the Communist Party were the priority; and (2) record series were filmed in their entirety, rather than selecting only particular files or documents (except for some of the Gulag material in GARF) Fond R-9414).

To locate material in the collection, it helps to know that archival documents in the former Soviet Union, and later in the Russian Federation, are arranged in record groups according to the institution that issued or received them. These major groups, which sometimes include thousands of documents, are called in Russian fond (plural fondy). Within each fond the documents are generally divided into smaller groups called opisi (singular opis). opisi are generally organized according to the internal structure of the corresponding institution, but sometimes opisi consist of documents relating to one subject. The Russian word opis has two meanings: (1) a series of documents; and (2) a finding aid. Each opis "series of documents" is provided with a descriptive opis "finding aid." Each opis "series of documents" is further organized into files called dela (singular delo) that contain the documents.

Out of a total of 11,818 microfilm reels, 11,349 reels contain documents and 469 contain finding aids to the fondy available at the Hoover Institution, as well as to some fondy available only in Russia. Each reel of microfilm contains approximately 850 pages, or frames.

The microfilm reel numbers consist of two parts separated by a period, for example 3.427. The first numerical segment is a 1, 2, or 3, identifying the Russian archive source; 1 is RGANI, 2 is RGASPI, and 3 is GARF. The second segment, which is sequentially numbered starting with 1, represents a specific microfilm reel number for that Russian archive.

Relates to political conditions in the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. Filmed from finding aids and holdings dating from 1903 to 1991 of the Gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv Rossiĭskoĭ Federat͡sii.

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives.
Arrangement:

The collection is organized by the name of the Russian archive that holds the original materials. There are three finding aids for the collection, one for each one of the Russian Archives:

  • -State Archives of the Russian Federation (Gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv Rossiĭskoĭ Federat͡sii - GARF);
  • -Russian State Archive of Contemporary History (Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv noveisheĭ istorii - RGANI);
  • and
  • -Russian State Archives of Social and Political History (Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyĭ arkhiv sot͡sial'no-politicheskoi istorii - RGASPI).

Within Russian institutional archive, the materials are organized into two groups: (1) fondy (record groups consisting of documents); and (2) finding aids that describe each fondy. Fondy are usually subdivided into opisi (series of documents); the number of opisi in each fondy varies.

Accruals:

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at http://searchworks.stanford.edu/. Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the online catalog is larger than the number of boxes listed in this finding aid.

Physical location:
Hoover Institution Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], original located in GARF, [Fond number, Opis number, Delo number], Archives of the Soviet communist party and Soviet state microfilm collection, [Reel number], Hoover Institution Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US